Paring-machine feeder.



w. M. LUTHER.

` PARINGMACHINE FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5, l9l4.

Patented Feb.l27,1917.

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l PARING MACHlNE FEEDER.

APPucAnon msn SEPT. s. |914. A.

1,217,791, Y Patented Feb. 27,'1917.

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WILLIAM M. LUTHER, or san rnnivcrsoo, 'CALIFORNIA'.

PARIN G-MACHIN E FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. ler, 191'7.

Application filed September 5, 1914. Serial N o. 860,453.

To all whom-it may concern:l

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. LUTHER,

a citizen of the United Statearesiding in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, (whose post-office address -is 124-2 Taylor street,) have invented new and useful Improvements in IariY-ng -Machine Feeders. of which the following isa specilication. n

This invention relates to improvements in feeding,k machines, andv more particularly to means for feeding fruit and the like, to paring and coring machines.

Machines for peeling, coring and paring, fruit and vegetables, for canning, preserving and other processes, have reached. a very satisfactory degree of development, so far as their particular function is concerned; but within my knowledge -there has not been produced a satisfactory means vfor feeding a 'multiple of such machines. It is still the practice for the operator to feed. the spindles of the paring machine directly by hand. This hand method of feeding involves considerable delay, since the operator loses that interval of time, during which the spindle is occupied by the fruit, undergoing the process performed by the machine, and must wait for the spindle to be freed, beforehe can place thereon another unit, and to make up for the interval of delay must act with a speed not conducive to accuracy or economy in handling the fruit.

Among the objects of this invention are the correction ofthe above disadvantages, by producing a feedingmechanism, thatis applicable to the standardized, peeling, par; ing and coring machines in general use at the present time; y l

That will feed a single machine, or a bank or multiple of machines, limited` only by the eiiiciency of the operator; v v

That is so timed that an interval of inaction is permitted in the feeder, during which the operator can place the fruit in the feeder with judgment, without loss of efficiency in' producing -results rlhat is general in its application, easily and quickly installed, and adjustable to va.- rying conditions;

That is simple and positive in action safe to operate; and that will not bruise or mu-l tilate the fruit.

Other objects and advantages Will appear' as the description progresses. In the ,drawing accompanying and forming part ofthe present specification, to which like reference characters have been applied, a desirable form of' putting this invention into prac-I tice is shown. I do not wish to be understood as'conhning` this .invention to the disclosures inade in said drawing and description, as many variations may bel introduced, within'thespi-rit ofth-is invention, as defined inthe claims succeeding the said description. i In the drawings: Figure l as a diagrammatic side elevation of a conventional type of peeling and coring machine for apples, pears and other such fruit; some of the minor details of the machine having been omitted as not vgerman e to 'this invention; showing a feeding imechanism constructed and combined therewith in accordance with this invention l Fig..2 is a plan view from above of a multiple of four'of such paring machines, broken away in diagrammatic detail, better to disclosethe feeding mechanism, show-V ing'a pair of double feeders serving the four spindles lof the paring machines, the feeders being synchronized so that one feeder' is in the charging position, while the other is in the serving position, so arranged that one operator is'enabled to charge the feeders for the four machines.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail partially in cross section of the gripper mechanism of the feeder' inthe horizontal and closed position, the open position of one of the gripper aws lbeing outlined by dotted lines. p i i p Fig.y t is-'a similarview in side elevation in cross section onthe line IV-IV Fig. 2, of the actuating and timing gearing of the grippers. l

Fig. 5 is a side elevation ofthe same, showing the parts in the lposition'when the gripper mechanism is at rest during the dwell interval of the actuating cycle.

In detail the constructionillustrated in the drawing, includes the paring machine, comprising amain frame 1 having the bases 2, adapted to lac-securedA to a bench or bedplate. The paring machine has a main driven shaft 3 journaled in the frame l, and actuated by the gear wheel 4: fixed thereon. The pinion 5 fixed'on the opposite end of the shaft 3 actuates the pinion 6 enmeshed therewith, and fixed upon the sleeve 7 ournaled within the brackets 8, The collapsible spring chuck 9 is fixed in the end of the sleeve 7; and may consist of three spring jaws having barbed heads, adapted to be forced into the fruit X, to firmly engage the fruit, for rotation.

A paring knife is mounted on the arm 10, actuated by a cam driven by the worm gea-ring 11, in turn driven bythe shaft 12 having the pinion 13 fixed thereon, enmeshed Ywith the gear 14 mounted on a counter shaft 15 in the main frame, and enmeshed with a driving pinion 16, fixed on the driven shaft 3. The cam-not slio\\f'n-caiise.s the peeling blade to follow the contour of the fruit being revolved by the chuck 9, cz'iusingthe blade vto remove a thin peeling from the whole surface of the fruit. After the peel ing` operation, the revolving frame of which the bracket 8 is a part, moves forward to a po sition opposite the coring blade, that is semicircular in cross section, conforming to the outline of the chuck 9. The coring blade advancescutting out the core of the fruit, that is left on the chuck while the fruit is carried backward on the coi-ing blade during its return stroke, stripped ofil and delivered to a hopper beneath the bench. The core is removedvby the plunger17 working within the sleeve 7, and pushed forward at the proper time in the revolution of the bracket 3, to strip the core off of the chuck 9.

The above outline description ofthe coring machine, includes its principal functions'and the general means adopted for their accomplishments. These means will vary in different types of machines, but are common to most of them, and no claim for a paring machine per se is made herein.

The main driving gear consists of the shaft 18, journaled in the bearings 19 and 20 on the bench.l The driving gears 4 on the respective paring machines, are enmeshed with the driving gears 21 fixed on the shaft 18, one gear Q1 serving to rotate the gears 4, 4 enmeshed 0n opposite sides thereof. A similar driving Ymechanism is located be` tween the adjacent pair of paring machines, each of the shafts 18 being provided with the sprocket gears 22-22 xed thereon, and

connected by the endless sprocket chain 23.

The feeding mechanism includes the beveled pinion 24, fixed on the end of the shaft 18, and enmeshed with the beveled gear 25 mounted on the stud shaft 26, fixed in the bracket 27, attached to the bench or bedplate of the machine. rlhe gear 25 is pro-vided with the crank pin Q8, extending from the side of the gear wheel. The connecting rod Q9 is journaled on the pin QS. The revolution of the beveled gear Q5 causes an oscillating reciprocation of the connecting rod 29. The connecting rod 29 passes through and is slidably guided in the head 3.0 of the tubular extension 31, the pin 3Ly passing through the connecting rod and engaging the slot 33 through the tubular extension. The opposite end of the extension 31 branches laterally to form the carriage having the heads 35-35 engaging the cross head shaft 36 guided in the slots 37 in the cross head guides 38, attached to the bench upon vwhich thevmachine is mounted. The compression spring 39 is inclosed within the bore of the tubular extension 31, and expands against the end of the connecting rod at one end, and against the adjustable plug 40'screwed into the opposite end of the tubular extension 31 of the carriage at its other en l. lheneciprocations of the connecting rod 29, actuated bythe crank pin 2S, causes the reciprocation of the cross head shaft 36 within the slots 37 To cause a dwell interval during the revolution of the gear 25 between the points A and B see F ig. 5, the slot 37 is made less in length than the throw of the crank pin 28. This difference in distance is compensated for by the compression of the springl 39, during the period in the cycle that the crank pin is passing from A `to B or any other chosen degree of the revolution. The shaft 36 has the gear or sector 41 fixed thereon, adapted to enmesh with the rack segments 42, adjustably xed on the side of the cross head guides in the path of the gear segments. The ends of the cross head shaft 36 are provided with the shoes 43 fixed thereon, and adapted to engage the slides 44 fixed on the sides of the cross head guides 38, in the path of the shoes 43. These 'slices prevent the rotation of the shaft during the actuating stroke of the crank pin 28, during which interval the gripper is feeding the spindle of the paring machine. During the back stroke of the crank pin Q8, the shoes 43 glide on the slides 44, until the gear segment 41 engages the rack 42, which causes the ment to rotate, which in turn rotates the shaft 36 one quarter of a revolution before it abuts the end stop 45 of the slot 3i, causing a compression of the spring 39 during that cycle between A and B, in the revolution of the crank pin 28.

VThe hollow stem 46 of the gripper is adjustably fixed within the bracket 47, and held in the desired adjustment bythe set screw 48 threaded therein, and setting against the stem 46. The bracket 47 is fixed on the cross head shaft 36, and assumes a horizontal position when the cross head shaft abuts the end 45 of the slots 37, main taining the gripper stem in a vertical posi tion during the A-B cycle described. The stem 46 extends upward and is capped by a concave head 49, rigidly fixed thereon, and provided with a central sharpened spike 50, adapted to engage and center the fruit impaled thereon. Y

The gripper includes a spider having the central hub 51, fixed on the stem 46 by the set screws 52, or other suitable means. This spider has the arms 53 preferably three in number, extendingoutwardly therefrom on radial lines and terminating in the divided heads, between the sides 54 of which the gripper fingers 55Vare pivoted on the pins 56 extending through the heads. These gripper fingers have an inward extension 57, engaging the annular groove 58 in the collar 59 slidably surrounding the stem 46. The plunger 60 is guided centrally within the stem 46 from which it protrudes at the bottom, and has the cross pin 6l fixed in the upper end and extending through the slot 62 in the stein 46, and engaging the collar 59. The compression spring 63 is confined within the hollow stem, and expands between the head of the plunger' 60 and the underside of the head 49, to maintain the normal protrusion of the plunger 60 beyond the lower end of the stem 46.

Vhen the stem 46 assumes the vertical position during the A-B cycle previously described, the end of the plunger .60 abuts the head 64 of the threaded stop 65 adjustably threaded into the block 65 attached to the bench, the stem being locked in the desired position by the lock nut 66. The impact of the plunger 60 with the head 64, forces the plunger upward against the tension of the spring 63, elevating the collar 59 that forces the extensions 57 upward, and the fingers 55 outward. This action presents the gripper with fingers open in a vertical position, which condition is maintained during theV dwell cycle A-B, during which period the operator selects the apples or other fruit and impales their bloom ends on the spikes 50.

The paring machines are preferably ar- 5 ranged in banks of four all driven at the same speed. The bank of four machines is again preferably divided into couplets.

Thel feeding mechanism-is arranged to feed two machines and 1s also arranged in cou- ,plets and driven at the same rate of speed in synchronism with the machines that they are serving; and preferably so timed that one couplet of the feeders is dwelling in the A-B cycle, while the other feeder is serving the other couplet of paring machines. This arrangement and synchronism of the various machines meets the capacity of the average operator, and divides his time in such a manner, that the highest efficiency of machine and operator is attained. During the A-B cycle the operator chooses from the pile before him two apples or other fruit, one in each hand with bloom ends downward. These he impales upon the spikes 50, of the couplet of grippers presented vertically before him, with the gripper fingers open. During this action of the operator, the companion set of grippers have come to rest in their A-B cycle, and the operation is repeated alternately by each couplet. The speed ofthe machines being regulated according to the dexterity of the opafter the A-B portion of the cycle, reverses the rotation of the shaft 36, lowering the gripper toward the horizontal position illustrated in Fig. 3; .as the plunger' 60 leaves the stop 65, the expansion of the spring 63 forces the plunger and the collar 59 downward, carrying with it the extensions 57, which carries the gripper fingers 55 inward toward the fruit impaled upon the spike 50, which are seized with a grip regulated by the tension of the spring 63. Three gripper fingers are preferred, asbeing sufficient in number, and being unequal in number tend better to center the fruit within the gripper, for presentation o-f the stem end to the chucks 9, upon which the fruit is forced by the continued `forward movement of the crank pin 28, connected to the gripper mechanism.

To adjust the gripper to carrying different sizes of fruit the stem 46 can be adjusted inM the bracket 47, and held in the desired position by the set screw 48; such adjustment calls for the proper readjustment of the threaded spindle 65 of the stop.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A feeding mechanism including a carriage; means for moving said carriage forward and back in a substantially Vstraight line .said means causing a dwell interval in the movement of said carriage; a gripper attached to said carriage, means for turning said gripper thro-ugh approximately in each forward and backward stroke of the carriage, and means for opening said gripper during said dwell interval.

2. A feeding mechanism including a carriage; means for moving said carriage forward and back in a substantially straight line; a shaft in said carriage; a gripper fixed on said shaft; and means for oscillating said shaft, during the movement of said carriage.

3. A feeding mechanism including a carriage; means for moving said carriage forward and back; a shaft in said carriage; a

gripper fixed on said shaft; a gear fixed on said shaft, a rack engaged by said gear in its path; a shoe fixed on said shaft and having a flat side, and a slide fixed in the path of said shoe for contacting with the fiat side thereof.v 1 i 4. A feeding mechanism including a carriage; means for guiding said carriage in an approximately straight line; a connection rod engaging said carriage; means for moving said connecting rod forward and back;

a guide for said carriage shorter than the stroke of said connecting rod and adapted to hold the carriage at rest during a portion of the stroke of the rod; a resilient member interposed between Said connecting rod and` the carriage for ypermitting the CarriageV to rest during a part of the stroke of said rod; a gripper' mountedL on said Carriage; means for turning said grippere through 900 during each back stroke and each forward Stroke of Said carriage, and means 1Cor opening said gripper while said carriage is at rest.

5. A feeding mechanism inchidingY a oarriage; guides 'for said carriage; a connecting rod siidabiy engaging saidroarriage; a crank pin engaging said connecting rod; a resilient member interposed between Said Connecting Copies of this patent may be obtained for rod and the carriage; a Shaft insaici oarriage; a shoe fixed on said shaft having a flat side a` slide on said guide 'for engaging the fiat side of said shoe; a gear'fixed on said shaft; arack iixed on said guide engaging saitL gear; al stop on said guide adjacent to the end of said rack; a gripper fixed on said shaft andL moved to a vertical position by the engage* ment of said gear and Said rack, by the out- Ward movement of said Carriage, and held vertical by the compression of Said reeiiient member.

n testimony whereof, I have hereunto Set my hand'this 31st day of August 1914:.

VLLIAM M. LUTHER.

Titnesses Y lBALDWIN VALE,

A. J. HENRY.

ve cents eachny addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

